Third-year analyst here. Just survived my first live deal cycle working 110-hour weeks and barely functioned. Heard rumors about ‘time management hacks’ from old-timers – anyone willing to share concrete strategies that worked during your biggest deals? Specifically, how do you prioritize when everything’s ‘urgent’ and still maintain some semblance of mental clarity? What’s the one system you’d teach a new analyst?
haha ‘time management’ in ib? real pros know it’s just strategic neglect. let those non-urgent emails pile up til 3am, skip formatting pretty slides that no one reads. survived 08 crash working 120hr weeks by living off desk snacks and pure hatred for my life choices. youll learn
pls share tips! my senior keeps saying ‘work smart’ but wont explain. tried time blocking but MDs keep interrupting 
does it get better??
Three non-negotiables from my GS days: 1) Create a ‘deal heat map’ with your VP early - know which fire drills are real versus anxiety 2) Batch all model updates pre-midnight when juniors can cover 3) Protect 4-6am for focused work before the chaos. You’ll gain 15% efficiency.
You’re building lifetime resilience! Track small wins - every all-nighter makes you stronger 
Future you will thank present you!
During the XYZ Pharma deal, our MD made us do ‘urgency audits’ every 6 hours. Turns out 40% of ‘ASAP’ requests could wait til next day. Still pulled 90hr weeks but felt more intentional. Key was pushing back politely but firmly.
Analysis of 50 MD memos shows 68% of weekend work stems from poor Friday planning. Implement a 4pm ‘deadline alignment’ ritual with your team. Reduces weekend fire drills by 42% according to 2024 IBD efficiency reports.